Journalism of Courage
Australia cricket captain Michael Clarke and coach Mickey Arthur have suspended four of their players,including vice-captain Shane Watson,from participating in the upcoming Mohali Test. At a press conference on Monday,Arthur announced that Watson,fast bowlers James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson,and batsman Usman Khawaja would not be selected for the third Test starting Thursday,since their attitudes did not match the required standards.
Its been a tough day, Arthur said shortly after informing the side about the decision. We were all hurting as a cricket team after the Hyderabad Test and we discussed the way forward and also discussed how we were going to get back in the series. I asked all the players to do a presentation for me by Saturday night.
The presentation was to have three points as to what contribution they were going to make over the next couple of games to get back in this series. Unfortunately,four guys,vice-captain Shane Watson,James Pattinson,Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja,did not send me their reports. So,the team management that includes me,the captain and the manager have made this decision that they will not be selected for this Test match.
Arthur,who left his job as coach of South Africa in 2010 after reportedly falling out with captain Graeme Smith,said that although this prescription might seem extreme,it was a necessary step.
Personally,I have to say that we have given this group every opportunity to conform and every opportunity to create the culture and attitude that we want from the Australian cricket team. It is disappointing to say that these players did not meet the standards we require, he said.
Although this incident may not seem so big in isolation,this is a line-in-the-sand moment.
Later in the day,after a number of former cricketers had called the suspensions too harsh,Clarke said that there was more to the decision than just the players failure to meet the presentation deadline.
I want the public and the media to understand,dont get me wrong,its not just about one incident, Clarke said.
With the suspensions and the injury to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade who injured his ankle playing basketball Australia currently have just 12 players to choose from for the Mohali game.
Watson flew back to Australia on Monday afternoon following the hearing to be with his wife Lee Furlong,who is expecting the couples first child. He had initially planned to fly out before the fourth Test.
I was about to communicate that to Mickey and the leadership group today but they obviously beat me to it by telling me I wasnt selected for this Test match, Watson told the Sydney Morning Herald. Also overnight,things have changed and Lee wasnt going to tell me things had changed because she knew how much it meant to me to be able to play this (Mohali) Test match. It was due in a couple of weeks but its looking like things have sped up a little bit.
Watson added that he was contemplating his future in the game.
Any time youre suspended for a Test match unless you do something unbelievably wrong,and obviously everyone knows what those rules are… I think it is very harsh, Watson said. At this point in time Im at a stage where Im sort of weighing up my future and what I want to do with my cricket in general,to be honest.
